Little Bird (Advantage Play Series Book 3)

by Kelsie Rae

  “Dex,” Kingston addresses me.

  Turning around, I reply, “Yeah?”

  “Don’t screw up again. Understand?”

  “I won’t.”

  “Good.”

  He steps around me to make his escape when I call out, “Hey, King?”

  “Yeah?” he answers, turning around grudgingly.

  “She mine?”

  His gaze shifts to his sister clinging to my side before he gives me a solemn nod. “Yeah, Dex. She’s yours, but I suggest you don’t screw that up, either.”

  I laugh, though it’s interrupted with another groan. Once I catch my breath, I answer, “Noted.”

  Then he’s gone, and my shoulders sag a little farther, giving Regina a bit more of my weight than I’d ever dare to give her under normal circumstances.

  “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Dex

  The rest of the morning is spent in a blur of stitches and pain killers. Kingston had prepped the doctor about my condition, and as soon as Regina and I entered the house, he got straight to work before ordering me to get some sleep.

  He didn’t have to put too much effort into persuading me.

  With a groan, I roll onto my side and take in the blood-red satin sheets that match the curtains framing the balcony window.

  “You sure your brother won’t mind that I slept in your room?” I grumble before pushing myself up onto the mattress. I feel like I was run over by a truck. Resting my back against the headboard, I catch Regina with a black pair of glasses balanced on her button nose, and the sight is enough to distract me from my pounding headache. She looks up at me from a chair tucked in the corner of the room, and I can’t help but notice the way the light from the window casts a glow on her makeup-free face, showcasing her natural beauty to perfection.

  “You held up your end of the bargain by taking his punishment. Now, it’s his turn to hold up his end of the deal.”

  Satisfied with her confidence that I’m not about to be finished off by her brother after everything I went through to get here, I change the subject. “Since when do you wear glasses?”

  “Since forever, but they’re only for reading. Why?”

  “I’ve never seen you wear them.”

  “And that surprises you?” she teases, setting aside her book before pushing the glasses off her face until they act as a makeshift headband.

  “Kind of. Sometimes I forget how little I know about you.”

  With the sweetest of smiles, she throws me a bone. “You know everything that matters, but I’m sure we’ll both be pleasantly surprised with a few curveballs in the future. Gotta keep each other on our toes, right?”

  The sway of her hips distracts me from coming up with a witty remark as she saunters toward the bed.

  Once she’s within reach, I use my good hand to tug her closer. “Right.”

  “How are you feeling?” she asks.

  My head feels like an elephant sat on it for a few hours, but other than that….

  “I’m fine.”

  “You sure?” Her forehead wrinkles with discomfort, and her mouth purses in distaste as her gaze bounces around my busted up face.

  “With a look like that, you’re making me question it,” I remark dryly.

  She laughs, her worry lines disappearing in the blink of an eye. “Sorry. I know guys like you hate pity and stuff, but seriously…your face is making me hurt.”

  Joining in her contagious laughter, I wrap my right arm around her neck and pull her in for a quick kiss. “Way to stroke my ego. Should I get a brown sack to cover it?”

  “That’s not what I meant!”

  “I’m teasing,” I console her. “I’ll be fine, Little Bird. Promise.”

  A loud knock grabs my attention as Regina calls out, “Who is it?”

  “It’s me,” the voice returns. “Stefan.”

  “Come in.”

  Turning the handle, he pushes open the door, then grimaces as soon as he sees me. “Dude, your face looks messed up.”

  I chuckle under my breath while Regina covers her grin at his assessment.

  “Gee, thanks,” I return sarcastically.

  Hovering near the door, Stefan asks, “Do you think you could handle coming down to chat for a bit?”

  “Yeah, sure. I’ll be down in a few. I just need to grab a change of clothes.”

  Regina leans into my side. “I already grabbed some for you while you were passed out. You can shower in here if you want.”

  Face blanching, Stefan mutters, “Aaaand, that’s my cue to go. We’ll see you downstairs in a few.”

  “Not like that!” Regina yells at his retreating form, but it’s too late. With bright red cheeks, she slips off the bed and motions to the bathroom door. “Seriously, I didn’t mean like—”

  “Like we could shower together? Should I be offended by how quickly you turned down that suggestion?”

  Grinning down at me, she offers her hand to pull me up, and because I’m a gentleman––and need a giant aspirin––I take it.

  “I’m not turning down the opportunity to screw you in the shower, Dex. I just think we might want to wait a few days before we try anything. You know, give yourself a little time to heal.”

  “I’m fine, Regina,” I argue, though my head starts to spin as soon as my feet hit the ground.

  “I’m sure you are,” she replies with a knowing grin. “But let’s give it a few days anyway, okay?”

  “No promises.”

  Guiding me into the bathroom, she turns on the shower then asks, “Do you want me to help you undress?”

  “Regina, I’m—”

  “I know! You’re fine! I get it! I’m just saying…I want to help. Especially after everything you went through for me, I just…I want to take care of you the same way you took care of me, ya know?”

  Rolling my tongue between my teeth and cheek, I finally give her a single nod. “But only if you shower with me.”

  She smirks. “I thought you’d never ask.”

  Stripping bare is fucking difficult when one hand is practically useless, and I’m so distracted by the spinning room that I miss out on Regina getting naked a few feet away from me. Thankfully, my Little Bird doesn’t let me struggle for long before her deft little fingers grab the hem of my shirt and slip off my white undershirt with ease. When her slender body comes into view, I almost swallow my tongue. Tan skin. Hourglass figure. I could get lost inside her for hours if she’d let me. As soon as my mind starts to wander into very dangerous territory, her hands slowly slip down my pecs and abs before landing on the waistband of my boxers. Peeking up at me, she toys with the elastic before bending forward to slide them down my legs.

  Which leaves my cock an inch from her face.

  “Careful, Little Bird,” I warn her. “You told me to take it easy, but you’re making that awfully difficult for me.”

  With a teasing grin, she drops a quick kiss to the tip of me before standing to her full height and guiding me inside the steaming shower. “Like I said, the doctor ordered that you should take it easy for a few days.”

  “Babe—”

  “Keep your hand out of the water. I’ll wash your hair for you so that we don’t have to redo the bandage yet.”

  “Someone’s bossy,” I quip.

  “You have no idea.” An amused Regina reaches for the shampoo bottle and squirts a nickel-sized amount into the palm of her hand.

  “You know, just ‘cause I’m missing a finger, and my face is busted up, doesn’t mean my dick’s broken.”

  Giggling, she runs her fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp in slow circles while simultaneously pulling a groan from my parted lips.

  “My brother’s waiting for you downstairs.”

  “Yeah, and he knows you’re mine now.”

  “But there’s a meeting—”

  “And it can wait.”

  “You’re stubborn,” she points out, encouraging me to
tip my head back by pressing the pad of her finger against my chin.

  I do as I’m told, withholding another groan of appreciation as the hot water slips from the top of my head and down my spine, the suds swirling down the drain.

  “You have no idea,” I mimic her words from earlier. “Tell me, do I get a loofah too like the one I offered you before the tournament or…?”

  “Are you saying my hospitality isn’t as good as yours?” she quips.

  “Maybe. I gave you orgasms while under my care. All you’ve given me are a nasty set of blue balls and a missing finger.”

  Face turning the color of cherries, she smacks me in the chest. “Dex!”

  “I’m kidding!” I laugh, and damn it feels good. “Seriously. He could’ve taken my life, and it still would’ve been worth it.”

  “Don’t joke about that,” she pouts.

  “I’m sorry,” I apologize, cupping the side of her face with my right hand while making sure to keep my left one out of the water. “But if I’m being honest, it could’ve gone a lot worse. Now, I get to keep you. That sounds pretty damn perfect to me.”

  Her straight, white teeth dig into her lower lip as she deflects my compliment. “You’re ridiculous.”

  “I’m ridiculously in love with you.”

  With the softest expression, she plants a slow, open-mouthed kiss to my heated skin above my heart then peeks up at me. “I’m ridiculously in love with you too. Promise to keep your hand dry?”

  My brows furrow in confusion before looking at my hand that I’ve kept out of the stream of water since she tugged me into the shower. “Uh…yeah?”

  “Promise?” she repeats with a stern look.

  I roll my eyes. “I will if you tell me why you’re being so bossy.”

  “I’d hate for you to think my hospitality didn’t hold a candle compared to yours even though I did kinda fail on the whole loofah front.”

  “And?”

  Licking her lips, she slips down to her knees. “And apparently, I owe you an orgasm. Just don’t tell your doctor and keep your hand out of the water, or I stop.”

  My gaze darkens. “Always so bossy, Little Bird. Let’s see just how hospitable you can be.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Dex

  “Took you long enough,” Stefan calls out as I trudge down the stairs. “We’re in here.”

  Following his voice, I find him, along with Kingston, Diece, and Jack gathered around the kitchen table while playing a hand of Texas Hold ‘Em.

  “What are you guys doing?” I ask. If I’d have known they only wanted me for a hand of Poker, I would’ve stayed in the shower a while longer.

  “We were waiting for you,” Diece answers for me. “Sorry about your face, by the way. I had to make a statement that I stood by Kingston’s decision regardless of what it was.”

  “I figured, and I would’ve done the same.”

  “Good.” With the toe of his shoe, he pushes out the kitchen chair next to him. “Take a seat.”

  Plopping down next to him, I watch the rest of the hand play out before Kingston gathers the cards and shuffles them together. Once he’s finished, he gets to the point of our impromptu meeting that couldn’t wait.

  “As you know, Jack has reason to believe his ex-boss was working with Burlone. We don’t know to what extent, but I think it’d be beneficial to find out. Unfortunately, he hasn’t tried to contact Dominic’s cell yet, but that might have something to do with the fact that he was trying to frame Jack with the burner.”

  “What if we pretend to be Dominic and tell him we have information on Q?” I offer. “Maybe he set up iMessage or something and can read the messages through a computer too?”

  My brother goes rigid beside me, and I glance over at him to assess his odd reaction. “If we mention Q, he’ll know we have her and might come after her.”

  “We don’t know that,” I mutter.

  “Then why the hell would he be looking for her if he didn’t want her?” D seethes. “After the hell she’s been through, she deserves to stay hidden, and we owe that to her.”

  Trying to placate him, I raise my hands in surrender. “If Dominic’s contact is Jack’s boss, then he already knows Q doesn’t work for the FBI, which means he won’t believe that we put her in the ground like Kingston had told every single person at the tournament.”

  “We need to know why she’s so important,” Jack interjects.

  “Agreed,” I concur, shifting my gaze back to D, who’s growing more and more frustrated by the minute.

  Gritting his teeth, he stares darkly back at me. “I’ve already spoken with her. She doesn’t have any answers.”

  Kingston leans forward, setting aside the cards as he addresses his right-hand man. “Maybe I can help jog her memory.”

  “I already told you that’s a terrible idea.”

  “And I already told you that she doesn’t have a choice. And neither do you.”

  Growing frustrated, he shakes his head. “She’s scared, King. She doesn’t respond well to men in general. There’s no way she’ll be able to answer your questions.”

  “She seems to respond fine to you,” Kingston points out.

  With a glare, D mirrors Kingston’s position, resting his elbows on the table until the testosterone in the room is suffocating. “It’s a bad idea.”

  “And I don’t give a shit. I need to talk to her, D, and that’s an order. I need to find out if she remembers anything out of the ordinary from her disappearance. I need to find out who she really is because her story isn’t adding up, and if she wants my protection, she needs to be honest with me.”

  My attention bounces between the two men going head-to-head over an innocent girl who found herself in a screwed up situation that’s affecting so much more than a single person. It’s affecting the Romano’s entire operation, and she just might be the key to solving all of it. Then again, she might be the key to bringing it down too.

  My brother doesn’t back down under Kingston’s scrutiny. Every muscle in his body is tense, ready to spring into action at any second, and I’m afraid I’m seconds away from having to dive between the two of them to keep him in check. Which isn’t going to feel good if I rip any stitches.

  “She’s stronger than you think,” I tell D, trying to placate him. “We need to get to the bottom of this.”

  “Then I stay when you interrogate her,” he growls, staring Kingston down from across the table. “And you promise not to touch a hair on her head. Understand?”

  The air pulses with that same violent testosterone as Kingston debates whether or not he should throw out a direct order that could possibly require D’s hand as payment for breaking it.

  “Fine,” Kingston returns coolly. “You can sit in on the interrogation, but if you intervene before she has a chance to explain herself, there will be consequences. We clear?”

  Jaw tightening, D spits, “Yeah. We’re clear.”

  “Good. Next order of business. Jack, your face is plastered all over the news. Thankfully, they haven’t found any connection between you and the Romano family, but you’re officially on house arrest until we figure this shit out. I don’t need the Feds knocking on our door with an arrest warrant for you. Understand?”

  He nods. “Yeah. If I can help while still staying under the radar, I’m your man.”

  “Good. It seems that Jack’s face being headline news is rocking the boat a bit with Burlone’s previous associates, so we’ll need to smooth things over. Dex, this is where you come in. I don’t care what you have to say; I don’t care what you have to do; you will not let any of this messed up situation blow back on us.”

  “I won’t,” I promise, my voice ringing with determination.

  Sensing my resolution, Kingston nods his approval. “We won’t be reaching out to Dominic’s contact until I speak with Q, but that doesn’t mean I’m not keeping it as an option if we need to move forward with it. Stefan, do you know if Leo has located Sei yet?”
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  “What?” D shouts, interrupting Stefan from responding.

  Again, all eyes turn to him until I can feel the rage rolling off him in waves.

  With a sigh, I explain, “Dominic informed us that Sei wasn’t captured during the raid.”

  “But I thought you—”

  “Yeah, I know,” I reply, growing impatient. “I zip-tied him to a fucking chair and shot enough drugs into his veins to take down a gorilla. I have no idea how he escaped, but he did.”

  His expression is nothing short of restrained rage boiling beneath the surface as he seethes, “We need to find him.”

  “He’s not our greatest concern right now,” Kingston counters.

  “I don’t give a shit what our greatest concern is. He was obsessed with her, King. You have no idea the shit he put her through.”

  “I can imagine,” I interject. “And if anyone has a beef with the bastard, it’s me. We’ll take care of him too, I promise. But first, we need answers.”

  Kingston grits his teeth before finishing, “And we need them now.”

  TO BE CONTINUED….

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